Bypass ribbon cutting set for Friday

Thursday

Oct 17, 2013 at 6:00 AM

A ceremonial ribbon cutting of the newly constructed U.S. 131 Constantine bypass is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. Friday.The event marks the near-completion of the 4.9-mile route. Construction on the $18 million project started earlier this year and features as a showcase a newly built bridge over the St. Joseph River.Michigan Department of Transportation’s Nick Schirripa said traffic will be allowed onto the new route before the end of October. Full completion of the bypass, meanwhile, will take place in November and into 2014, when landscaping and other minor cosmetic improvements are made.Dignitaries will stage the ribbon cutting at the south end of the bridge, which is accessible from Riverside Drive.